Martin Lewis: Can you slash the cost of your car insurance? you need to check....

Everybody, everybody, everybody should be checking if they can slash the cost of car insurance right now. Okay, I accept not having a car is a good excuse, but don’t ignore this just because you’re ‘not at renewal’ - even then big savings may be possible.

The reason for this warning is that car insurance costs have rocketed by 16% over the last year, according to the AA, and it’s saying it “can't see an immediate end” to the rises.

Yet when you get car insurance the price is fixed for the year, so by locking into a policy now you effectively future proof against rise.

b) A couple of the big insurers like DirectLine.com and Aviva.co.uk aren’t on them. Yet they can be competitive, especially if you've no convictions and a clean licence, so check these separately too, as they can lead to big savings.

Also there can be special promo deals not included - there’s a list at mse.me/insurancedeals And remember always check that the policy has the right level of cover for you.

2. Not at renewal? What you can do

If the predictions are correct and prices keep moving up, today's prices will soon look cheap. Plus many are overpaying already, especially those who just auto-renew each year.

RENEWAL WITHIN 60 DAYS?

Some firms such as Aviva.co.uk, LV.com and Nationwide.co.uk give quotes valid for 60 days so get one now, then check against quotes at renewal time. As @dimuthuj7 tweeted: “@MartinSLewis Renewal £521. Quote a month ago, which was honoured, of £319. Thanks."

MIDWAY THROUGH A POLICY?

Many wrongly think you can only switch at renewal, but you can do it at any stage. Check if you can get a cheaper policy now. If so, provided you've not claimed, for a £50ish admin fee (factor that in), you can usually cancel and get the rest of the year refunded. You won't earn the year's no-claims bonus, but if it means you save now and prevent future price rises, it can be a big winner.

The impact of this can be big, as @mubzymalone tweeted me: "Just HALVED my car insurance, saving £543 by changing mid-policy. HUGE thanks to @MartinSLewis for the tip." Not only is he saving now, he's locked in the price for a year. So the sooner you act, the more you're likely to save.

3. Check multi-car policies if you've more than one car in the home

A few insurers offer special discounts if you have more than one car in the home – but comparison sites can’t include these deals, so do it manually. www.Admiral.com Multicar gives discounts of up to 25%, depending on how many cars you insure. You can also get discounts by linking the household standalone policies with Churchill, Direct Line and Privilege.

The savings here could be huge. Equally, they can be a rip off; it’s about trial and error.

4. Comprehensive cover may be cheaper than third party

Bizarrely, merely selecting comprehensive means some insurers see you as a lower risk, and it lowers the price, so always check comprehensive too if you want the cheapest.

5. Adding an extra driver could cost less

Again, counter-intuitively adding another person to the policy can bring down your premium, as the average risk is reduced. It’s especially strong if you're a young driver adding a responsible older driver, but can work for others too as Bouncybubbles told me: "Quoted £900 from £500 previous year. By comparing then adding my husband I got it down to £298."

6. Legitimately tweak your job title

You can't claim to be the Chancellor if you're a pole dancer (or vice-versa), but many people have wide ranging roles. So by tweaking your job description you might find your quote is lower. Like @RPJ_Webster93 who tweeted: "@martinslewis Thanks to your 'reword job title' tip my car insurance quote reduced by £500." He legitimately changed his job title from 'council worker' to 'civil servant - cleric'.

7. Don’t ‘pay monthly’ – it doesn't exist

Insurers may call it paying monthly, but actually they loan you the year's cost and while a few are interest free, most charge often hideous interest. The worst offender I’ve seen charges up-to-93% APR interest. So check and if it’s costly, pay upfront if you can. If not, try to get one of the many year-long-plus 0% credit cards. Just ensure you pay it off over the year, then there's no cost.

8. Consider installing a 'black box'

This device is the tech (officially called 'telematics') insurers put inside your car to monitor how you drive and when. It's especially useful for younger drivers facing hefty costs via other means, though if your mileage is limited and you don't drive at peak times or late at night, it can work well too.

9. Got special circumstances and struggling? Speak to a broker

If your circumstances aren’t normal, getting insurance can be tough. Often getting an insurance broker to find a bespoke policy for you can beat comparison sites. See biba.org.uk/find-insurance/

10. Can you get cashback

Once you’ve found your cheapest policy check cashback websites like Quidco.com and TopCashback.co.uk to see if you can get any money back on the policy you’ve chosen if you buy it via them - this can be over £50, so is often worth it. Yet don’t let the cashback tail wag the dog. Choose the right policy first, then see cashback as an added extra (as it isn’t 100% guaranteed).

Martin Lewis is the Founder and Chair of Money Saving Expert. To join the 11 million people who get his Martin’s Money Tips weekly email, go to moneysavingexpert.com/latesttip

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